Kitchen blogging

This morning my Internet connection was down until 10:00. Then 30 minutes later the power went out until 1:00 (no doubt due to the wind gusts we’re getting of up to 55 mph). Fortunately I didn’t have any work deadlines this morning. Alas, I was suffering blog withdrawal, so I put my energy into cleaning my kitchen, which was badly in need of it. This is not one of those ultra-modern designer kitchens with fancy appliances and gadgets that never actually get used. I have a 17-year-old electric stove and an equally old refrigerator with no working light inside, a prized old food processor and a couple of good pans among the tools and cookware I used every day, sometimes many times a day. I love my kitchen, even better when it’s clean. (Of course, almost everyone believes that his or her kitchen is special.)

It’s a small space – 8x9’ in all, with floor space of only 5x6’ – perfect for one person to cook in because everything I need is right at hand: turn, open, select, shut, turn, set down, turn, open, select, shut, turn, set down, chop, chop, add, stir, open, measure, add, stir... It’s like dancing on a tiny dance floor. But usually solo. Adding another person makes things interesting. It helps if they’re fast on their feet and sensitive to picking up my cues when I’m moving, because I’m used to leading here. I’ve had guys who simply refused to enter the whirl zone when I’m cooking. Others have been happy to join right in. I particularly like those who can wield a knife, because I’m more than happy to relinquish chopping duties, though I have to sometimes bite my tongue when it comes to the specific size and shape of the results. I like sharing in the kitchen, but as they say, if you can’t stand the heat…

It’s appropriate that my kitchen is at the center of my home, but since my townhouse is sandwiched between my neighbors’ this means I have no window looking outside. I do have a skylight, though, which pours down a lot of light if it’s sunny out, and I can open it via a long pole to let heat rise up and out and, if needed, smoke! I’ve put the pole away for the winter now. There’s also a window or “pass-through” to the dining room and light comes through from the clearstory windows there. I took a cue from one of my neighbors and put up a mirror above the sink that resembles a window and bounces back some light. I have another mirror over the stove, which according to feng shui is supposed to duplicate the burners and therefore luck or prosperity, I can’t remember which. I’ll take either.

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Tomorrow night, I’m going with a bunch of friends to see El Vez in Cambridge (see a recent review here). Should be a hoot. Have a good weekend everyone!

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8:45 pm: Well, clean kitchens are meant to be dirtied. Brownies are just coming out of the oven...

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